CONFERENCE ON SEXUALITY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND PUBLIC POLICY

3rd International Conference of the Transatlantic Research Group in collaboration with the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, Women and Gender Studies Program, and Office of International Education

Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Apr. 23-24, 2014

Social and legal discourses around same-sex marriage, gay and transgender rights have seen vigorous debates globally in recent times. These issues are being debated in European societies including France where the Supreme Court is considering two cases that may have significant social implications. Some states in the United State and the District of Columbia have now legalized same-sex marriage. On the other hand, some counties in Africa and most recently, Russia, have passed legislations limiting gay rights. African churches in particular have taken a more conservative stance than their Western counterparts in these debates as public policy, religious, ethnic, and sexual minorities are often pitted against one another.

This conference draws on a broad range of academic fields—including anthropology, sociology, political philosophy, history, political science, and cultural studies—to investigate the dynamics of public policy, human rights, and sexuality as they relate to inclusion and exclusion globally. Participants will engage an array of questions: How is public policy shaping the conceptualization of sexuality and rights and by extension phenomena of inclusion and exclusion in contemporary society? How is public discourse employed to re-inscribe differences of gender, sexuality, and rights? How do these processes and dynamics resemble each other or differ in the Western and non-Western societies?

Participants will consider how knowledge is formed and experienced at the intersections of culture, sexuality, race, and other axes of identity. What are the factors driving contemporary discourses on sexuality including LGBTQ, same-sex marriage, etc., especially as they intersect with such areas as state polices, human rights, and sexuality from an inter-disciplinary perspective. Panels, papers, creative presentations, and roundtables that employ diverse, interdisciplinary and inter-generational perspectives are especially welcome in these areas:

Public policy, Law and Sexuality

Human body, Gender and Sexuality

Culture, Identity and Sexuality

Religion, Culture, and Sexuality

Christianity and Sexuality

Islam and Sexuality

Judaism and Sexuality

Social Media and Sexuality

Sexual Orientation, Sexual/Gender Identity

Sexuality and Reproductive Rights

Human Body and Cultural Meanings

Human body, Stereotypes and Sexualities

Homosexuality, Homophobia, and Violence

The Female Body and Gender-based Violence

Heterosexuality and “Other” Sexuality

Abstracts should be around 300 words and include the paper title and the name and contact details of the presenter. Abstracts should be submitted by November 25, 2013. If an abstract is accepted for the conference, a full draft paper should be submitted by Monday January 20, 2014.

Conference on Sexuality, Human Rights and Public Policy is jointly organized by the the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, the Women and Gender Studies Program, the Department of History, and the Office of International Education at Marquette University.